The question
Who deserves an apology from you, and for what?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
A fixed Guardian Q&A prompt asked directly across respondents and years.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Sorry is such an underrated word – I use it liberally.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 4 July 2026 source ↗
Myself. I have never been harder on anyone else.
My mother, because I didn’t appreciate how proud she was of me being deputy prime minister. She ended up doing more press than me, and I was too sensitive and reacted.
My girlfriend. I am away a lot and, as much as she understands, I’d like to say sorry for not being there.
To my cousin P, who was one of my best mates growing up. We lost him when we were in our 20s and, before he passed away, I was so busy with this stupid thing called life and a brand new kid. He called me and said: “Bro, I’m not feeling right.” And I said: “Bro, you’ve never been feeling right.” And it always sits on my head that if me or somebody else had been paying more attention maybe things would have worked out different. He had extremely rare bowel cancer and died five weeks later at 27.
Not joining the circus.
Small, determined, lucky.
We watch over those we love.
Life’s too short to take offence.
I can always see two points of view, which makes it hard to have a row.
Safety or alarm, I can never decide which.
Harriet Walter, Chris Bryant, Felicity Jones, James Bay, Mo Gilligan, Ronnie O'Sullivan
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